


Persuasion

by Arbryna



Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Against a Wall, Episode Related, F/F, One Shot, Plot What Plot, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-08
Updated: 2011-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-27 01:57:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arbryna/pseuds/Arbryna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just how exactly did Kahlan <i>persuade</i> the barmaid into giving back Richard's pendant?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Persuasion

The tavern was bustling with activity, the scattered tables all occupied by villagers in need of drink and talk. For some, it was a time of celebration; with the magic peddlers gone, they could once again begin to prosper in their trades. Others were driven by the need to drown their guilt and shame in liquor; with the supply of potions cut off, they were forced to face what they'd let their lives become. Still others were interested only in proceeding with their lives as usual, from drunken arm-wrestling to boisterous gossip about whatever topics struck their fancy.

So caught up in their own concerns, few of the patrons noticed when the door was pushed open by a very irate confessor. Kahlan's face betrayed no emotion, but the clench of her jaw and the stiffness of her arms at her sides, fingers flexing subconsciously, made it apparent to anyone looking close enough that she was not to be trifled with right now. This was lost, however, on the cocky bartender, who was currently enmeshed in her own troubles.

“I already told you, Dolan. The peddlers are gone.” Drea's voice was as sharp as her gaze, pinned on the rather large, belligerent man across the bar. “Everyone knows it. I can't get any more potions. That means I can't sell you any more potions.”

“You're lying!” Dolan growled, knocking over a mug of ale as he reached across the bar. “You've got to have some-”

The man's arm was stopped halfway across the bar by a firm, pale hand. As his gaze traveled up to the owner of the hand, his bloodshot eyes filled with fear, and he quickly snatched his arm back.

“Perhaps you should find a better solution for your problems.” The steel in Kahlan's voice rivaled the barkeep's, and the fury contained in her eyes left no room for argument. This was not a suggestion. Terrified, the behemoth of a man backed away from the confessor, whose touch was as good as death. Drea let out a sigh of relief as he stumbled out the door.

“Thanks.” She started to mop up the spilled ale, her eyes wandering appreciatively over Kahlan's form. Her voice took on a provocative tone, almost by reflex. “What can I do for you?”

Kahlan's lips tightened into a thin line as she inhaled, crossing her arms over her chest both to contain her anger and shield herself from the other woman's leering eyes. “You can return the pendant you conned Richard out of.”

Drea didn't miss a beat, continuing to wipe the counter as she smirked. “And why would I do that?”

“Because it's the right thing to do?” Kahlan seethed, bracing her hands on the edge of the bar as she glared daggers into the other woman. “Because you realize how vile it is to peddle magic as if it's the answer to everyone's problems?”

Drea stiffened, slamming the rag down on the damp bar. She mirrored Kahlan's position, leaning over the bar and meeting the confessor's glare with her own. “Every one of my customers knew exactly what they were doing. That includes your precious Seeker.”

“Oh? So Richard knew what he was doing, when you slipped that potion into his drink?” A righteous smile spread on Kahlan's lips as guilt flitted across the woman's face. She leaned slightly closer. “I didn't think so.”

“I was helping the Seeker.” Drea protested, leaning back and crossing her arms in defiance. Her voice dripped with innuendo as she continued. “And I didn't hear him complaining when he came back and begged for more.”

Kahlan's eyes flashed with fury, her fingers gripping the counter as she controlled her voice. “If you hadn't made the easy answer so tempting, he might have taken the opportunity to find a solution on his own. It's what the Seeker does.”

“You think I'm tempting?” Drea's eyebrow shot up, her lips curling into a suggestive smirk. Kahlan's cheeks flushed as the other woman's eyes bored into her. She was almost relieved when Drea's expression hardened again.“I didn't force him to come back. Besides, it got your friend back, didn't it? I'd have thought a silly pendant would be a small price to pay.”

“No one should ever have to _pay_ for magic.” Kahlan's voice turned harsh, memories flooding her mind of her father using her own power to gain wealth and power. “Those who have magic have a duty to use their gift for the greater good.”

“How very noble.” Drea said bitterly. “Unfortunately, we don't all have the luxury of being paragons of virtue like yourself, Confessor.”

The abrupt change in tone caught Kahlan off-guard. She found herself fixating on hard brown eyes that had clouded over with distant memories. A lifetime of training in interrogation kicked in, and she spoke before she could stop herself.

“What happened to you?”

Drea's eyes narrowed. “That's none of your business.” She averted her gaze, suddenly feeling very exposed. “Now, if you're done with your self-righteous speech, would you mind leaving? You're scaring away my customers.”

The flippant tone was back, bringing with it Kahlan's anger. “I'm not leaving without Richard's pendant.”

“Fine. You can stay here all day, for all I care. ” With a smirk, Drea grabbed a fresh rag from the counter. She raked her eyes over Kahlan's body as she began wiping out tankards and scraping bits of food into the refuse bin. “At least I'll have something nice to look at for a change.”

Kahlan's cheeks colored again, and she stormed around the bar, grabbing Drea's arm and pulling the other woman to face her. Almost entirely by instinct, her hand went to Drea's throat. The smaller woman laughed.

“You won't confess me.” She said cockily. “Not over a silly little necklace.”

Kahlan pressed closer, until Drea was trapped against the side of the bar. “Are you sure about that?”

The proximity of the confessor's body was having the opposite of the desired effect; rather than being intimidated, Drea found herself growing hot, desire pooling in her stomach. She let her eyes drift from Kahlan's flushed face, down the line of her neck to her well-defined cleavage.

“There is a way you could get it back.” Her eyebrow arched as she considered the possibilities.

Kahlan's eyes widened at the implication, her face burning as her hand tightened around the barmaid's neck.

“How dare you?!” Kahlan hissed, mindful that several patrons were openly observing the confrontation. She leaned in closer, so as not to be heard. “I am not a whore.”

Drea's lips curled into a sultry smirk. “Oh, please. You may be a confessor, but I know a thing or two about reading people.” She braced herself against the edge of the bar, pushing her hips into Kahlan's. Her expression turned smug as Kahlan gasped at the contact. “You want it as badly as I do. Maybe more.”

Kahlan glanced around at everything but the barmaid, trying to ignore the warmth of Drea's breasts where they pressed against her own. Her grip loosened as she fumbled for words. “That doesn't matter. I can't-”

Drea took advantage of the break in Kahlan's focus, leaning forward to speak quietly into Kahlan's ear. “You can't be with someone without confessing them, right?”

Kahlan shuddered as Drea's lips brushed her ear as she spoke. She nodded slightly, swallowing the ache that rose in her chest at hearing the words aloud.

“I wasn't telling the whole truth, earlier. I do have one potion left.” Drea's hand moved from the bar to rest on Kahlan's waist; Kahlan could feel the heat of it burning through her corset. “It makes the drinker temporarily immune to all magic.”

Kahlan's mouth went dry, desire pooling in her belly as Drea's other hand joined its mate on her waist. Even through the thick leather of her corset, Kahlan could feel the woman's fingers dragging up and down her sides.

“It's my last one,” Drea continued, looking entirely unaffected by the hand that rested limply around her throat. “But I'm sure it would be worth it.”

Kahlan was speechless as she considered the proposition. It was one potion; hardly worth trying to bring back for Richard. She knew he had feelings for her; had felt the weight of them when she turned and found him staring at her earlier by the lake. Attraction was only a small part of what was beginning to unfold between them, and suggesting a quick roll in the hay wasn't exactly the way to discourage his affections.

Besides, what if it didn't work? If she ended up confessing the Seeker of Truth, the Midlands – and the whole world – would suffer the consequences. As callous as even she found it, this barmaid simply wasn't as important in the overall scheme of things.

There was, of course, the noble option; which would be not to do it at all, to destroy the potion and everything it promised. Wasn't she just lecturing Richard about using magic to solve life's problems?

The trouble was, she had been away from her sisters in Aydindril for a very long time. And the desire that had been plain in Richard's eyes as he watched her earlier that day had ignited a hunger in Kahlan that had been dormant for months. Now, pressed against this warm and willing body, that desire was becoming impossible to resist.

Kahlan glanced down at her hand, feeling the woman's pulse pounding under her fingertips. The skin of Drea's throat was warm and soft, and her breath quickened with the desire to taste it. When their eyes met once more, her decision was clear.

Drea flicked her tongue out to wet her lips, smiling in satisfaction when Kahlan's eyes fixed themselves on her mouth. Gently, she pushed at Kahlan's hips until the confessor stumbled backward. Moving around her, Drea reached into a concealed cupboard under the bar, pulling out a vial of red liquid. A brief glance at one of her employees ensured that the bar would be taken care of, and she sauntered over to the door to the backroom.

Kahlan's eyes followed the sway of her hips, the flex of muscles in her upper arm as she turned the latch on the door. She felt a momentary twinge of shame at what she was about to do, but it was burned away as Drea turned back to her, eyes daring her to follow before disappearing through the door. Glancing back to ensure that the tavern's patrons were once again focused on their own pursuits, Kahlan slipped into the small room.

It looked to be a stock room; shelves were scattered against the walls, kegs stacked in one corner. There was a long table against one wall, with tankards and plates strewn over it. Drea stood a few feet away, a predatory smile on her lips as she watched Kahlan close and latch the door behind her.

Her eyes never left Kahlan as she pulled the stopper from the vial, lifting it slowly to her lips. Deliberately, she tilted her head back, savoring the bitter tang of the potion. Kahlan stood mesmerized by the sight, her eyes sliding down the line of Drea's throat then back up to her lips, where a drop of potion remained until her tongue snaked out to catch it.

Laying the vial and its stopper on a shelf, Drea moved to close the distance between them, her fingers moving to unlace her bodice as she walked.

“How long will it last?” Kahlan's voice was hoarse, anxious. Drea smirked.

“If I'm lucky, half a candlemark.” She continued her advance, slipping the garment from her shoulders. “But we wouldn't want to keep your friends waiting that long.”

Kahlan licked her lips unconsciously, her eyes not knowing where to focus; on the newly bared shoulders, the glimpse of thigh that slipped through the slit in Drea's skirt as she walked. Her heart pounded with anticipation and nerves. She'd done this before, with women – fellow confessors at Aydindril, but it was different with them. Safe. This felt like a lot of things, but safe wasn't one of them.

“You can touch me, you know.” Kahlan's hands rested limply at her sides, and Drea reached for one of them, helping it find its way back to her throat. “Would it help to start here?”

Kahlan's eyes slammed shut as arousal flooded her senses at the simple act of submission. For a long moment, she stood frozen by the intensity of it. Drea's fingers at the lacing of her dress jolted her back to awareness. Opening her eyes, she followed the trail of her fingers as they slid from the woman's neck to her shoulders, tracing the tattooed lines of symbols on her arm.

Drea shoved away the memories attached to the markings, instead focusing entirely on undressing the woman before her. She slipped the dress over pale shoulders, letting it fall forgotten to the floor. She leaned in, tracing the edge of Kahlan's corset with her fingers, then her tongue.

Kahlan ached to feel more. She reached behind her in a desperate attempt to unfasten the corset, stifling a frustrated groan as she fumbled with the stays. Drea smirked into Kahlan's skin before pulling away, moving behind the other woman to assist her.

Within moments, the corset joined the dress on the floor, and warm hands were stroking up and down Kahlan's back. Then her mouth took over, trailing wet lingering kisses over her shoulder blades as her hands slipped around Kahlan's waist, sliding up to caress her chest. Kahlan suppressed a moan as those hands closed around her breasts, squeezing gently at the soft flesh.

Then it was no longer enough, and Kahlan whirled around, pulling Drea into a searing kiss. Her hardened nipples brushed almost painfully against the rough brocade of Drea's corset as she reached behind her to unfasten the stays.

After a few moments of effort, Drea's corset fell to the floor, and they found themselves pressed together, naked from the waist up. Drea let out a wanton moan, and Kahlan froze, her eyes flicking to the door.

Drea chuckled. “You don't really think it was a secret, what we came in here for, do you?” Kahlan blushed, distracted by Drea's fingers rubbing teasing circles into her sides. “Besides, they're all preoccupied with their own, very loud, business.”

Kahlan listened for a moment, and sure enough, she could hear the din of muffled laughter and conversations, tankards slamming on tables, chairs scraping against the floor. She let out a sigh of relief that turned into a strangled gasp as a hot mouth closed around her breast. Drea teased her nipple with her teeth and tongue as her hands drifted along the edge of Kahlan's skirt.

Kahlan arched into Drea's mouth, tangling her own hands in the other woman's thick hair. She tugged unconsciously at the curls, not in an attempt to pull her away, but more to feel her own strength.

Drea moaned, finding the ties to the skirt and pushing it over Kahlan's hips, along with her breeches. Kahlan hurriedly stepped out of them, pulling Drea's mouth back to hers. Their tongues collided as Drea pushed her back against the wall. Kahlan was still wearing her boots, but neither woman gave them a second thought; there were far more important things to be concerned with.

The wall was rough against Kahlan's back, but she hardly noticed as Drea's mouth trailed kisses along her jaw, then down to her neck. She shuddered with pleasure as Drea sucked not-quite hard enough to leave marks, her hips thrusting forward of their own accord.

She struggled to control her passion just long enough to reach for Drea's skirt. She pushed it to the floor, moaning when she realized it left the barmaid as naked as she was. Drea moved back to Kahlan's mouth, kissing her hungrily. She reached for Kahlan's thigh, pulling it up to wrap around her as her hipbone pressed into Kahlan's center, pulling a sharp moan from the confessor.

Her left hand reached to grope at Kahlan's breast as her right held firmly to Kahlan's thigh. She gasped as Kahlan's hands found purchase on her breasts, manipulating the hardened nipples. Drea moved her hand from Kahlan's breast to brace herself on the wall behind her. She slid her other hand up and over Kahlan's thigh, which remained hooked over her hip.

Kahlan's head fell back against the wall as Drea's fingers slipped between her legs. She reached for Drea's hips, maneuvering her thrusts so that her other thigh rocked against the woman's sex as fingers slid through her dripping folds.

She didn't even notice her moans anymore, so lost in the sensations she was feeling. Drea's mouth latched on to Kahlan's neck again as her fingers slid teasingly over her clit. Groaning in frustration, Kahlan reached around Drea's hips, thrusting against her hand as she tried to pull the woman closer.

Drea smirked into Kahlan's skin as she took the hint, sliding first one finger, then two into the confessor. Kahlan gasped at the intrusion, and Drea moaned at the indirect pressure on her own sex as Kahlan's hips jerked against her.

Kahlan could feel her magic surging to the surface, and she tried to suppress the panic that came with it. Sensing the change in the other woman, Drea pumped her hand faster, her thumb pounding against Kahlan's clit with each thrust.

Kahlan came forcefully, her magic bursting free and filling the room with thunder without sound. Drea moaned at the feel of it, at the rush of having come so close to being confessed and escaping unscathed.

The moment was ended as Kahlan collapsed against the wall, drained from the release of her magic. Drea was forced to remove her hand so that she could help the confessor to her knees.

Kahlan rested her cheek against the barmaid's stomach, wrapping her arms around the woman's thighs as she struggled to regain her strength. She could feel the clenching of Drea's abdomen against her skin, could smell the woman's arousal. Drea was still painfully unfulfilled, and as exhausted as Kahlan was, she did not know when she would next get the opportunity to touch someone so intimately; there weren't many people who would be eager for the touch of a confessor.

When she was a little more steady, Kahlan turned her face, her lips and tongue trailing across Drea's abdomen. She felt the groan rumble through the woman's body as her intentions became clear. She slid her hands around to the front of Drea's thighs, pushing them slightly apart.

Her mouth trailed down to Drea's hipbone, still sticky with her own wetness. Her tongue darted out to slide over the skin, savoring the salty tang of her own arousal. Drea braced her hands on the wall as Kahlan's mouth neared its destination.

“Yes.” She hissed as Kahlan's tongue slid into the curls at the apex of her legs, stroking the sensitive skin as her lips closed around Drea's clit.

Without preamble, Kahlan slipped two fingers, then a third, into Drea as she sucked fiercely at the woman's clit. Never ceasing in her ministrations, Kahlan glanced up, mesmerized by the view above her. Drea was beyond words, beyond thought; her breasts bounced gently as she thrust against Kahlan's mouth, partially obscuring the view of her face, head dropped forward, eyes closed in pleasure.

Drea's eyes shot open as Kahlan's fingers curled inside her, teeth scraping gently over her clit. Their gazes locked as her fingers thrust faster, and she sucked harder, tongue flicking rapidly over Drea's clit, pulling her ever closer to the edge.

A long, loud moan rumbled free from Drea's chest as her climax surged through her body. Kahlan's mouth slowed in its movements, her tongue gently soothing the inflamed flesh. As the contractions around her fingers ceased, Kahlan rested her forehead against Drea's stomach, catching her breath.

“That,” Drea gasped, “was unexpected.”

It was Kahlan's turn to be smug. She slid her fingers from the woman's sex, sitting back on her heels as she smirked up at the barmaid.

“Didn't think a confessor would know how to do that?”

Drea shook her head, still catching her breath. After a few moments of silence, she pushed away from the wall, collecting her clothing and pulling it on. She had learned that it was best to speed along the awkward aftermath.

“I'll be right back.”

The barmaid sauntered out into the tavern, leaving Kahlan breathless on her knees. Kahlan leaned her head against the wall, her head spinning while her body thrummed with satisfaction. She sat there contemplating until Drea re-entered, carrying a large bowl of steaming water.

“I thought you might want to wash up.” Kahlan smiled gratefully. Drea set the basin down on the table, intending to return to the tavern while Kahlan washed. She found herself unable to turn away as Kahlan struggled to her feet, graceful even in her unsteadiness as she moved to the table.

She reached for the cloth in the basin, swirling it in the warm water before wringing it out. She paused with the cloth on her skin, noticing how Drea's eyes tracked her every move.

Realizing she'd been caught staring, Drea smirked, slipping back into the tavern to give the woman some semblance of privacy.

Kahlan washed efficiently, and was just finishing when the barmaid came back, with a tankard in each hand. Kahlan eyed them warily as Drea set them down on the table next to the basin.

“It's just mead.” Drea assured her, reaching for one and taking a long pull from it. Kahlan reached for the other, taking a hesitant sip. The smooth sweetness of the mead mingled with the musky flavor still lingering on her tongue.

“It's very good.” Kahlan breathed. Drea smiled knowingly, aware that Kahlan meant more than just the mead. Long moments passed as they drank in silence. She felt Drea's eyes lingering on her skin and set her tankard down, suddenly feeling awkwardly exposed, standing there in nothing but her boots while the fully dressed barmaid ogled her.

Drea sensed the change in mood, and reached into her cleavage, pulling out Richard's pendant.

“I suppose I don't really need this.” She said glibly, holding it out to Kahlan. “The Seeker was right; it's not worth very much to anyone but him.”

Kahlan reached to take the pendant from her, confused. “Then why did you trade him for it in the first place?”

“I wanted to help the Seeker, but I do have a reputation to uphold.” Drea said, picking Kahlan's corset up from the floor. Her fingers brushed against the woman's skin as she helped slide it back on. “I can't have people thinking I give my goods away to just anyone.”

Kahlan smiled, beginning to understand. She set the pendant down on the table and moved to collect her clothing, pulling on first her skirt, then her dress, re-tying the laces over her breasts.

Something was missing. She glanced over at Drea, who had retrieved her breeches from where they had been discarded on the floor, still soaked with her arousal.

“I don't think you're going to want to put these back on.” She held them up, not even trying to conceal the leer on her face.

“Keep them. In payment for the pendant.” Kahlan smirked confidently, gliding behind the barmaid. She leaned in, murmuring softly in her ear. “The pleasure wasn't for sale.”

She heard the sharp intake of breath, felt Drea's eyes on her as she moved. She grabbed the pendant from the table and traipsed out into the tavern, ignoring the stares that followed her out into the streets. Nobody said anything; they were happy enough that the confessor seemed to be leaving in a much better mood than she had come in with.

***

She was still smiling when she found Richard in the town center.

“Richard.” She said happily, fiddling with the pendant in her hands. “I...found something that belongs to you.”

She inwardly sighed with relief when he took it, hoping it was enough to distract him. She moved past him, biting her lip as the recent memories played over in her mind.

Richard stared at the pendant, bewildered. He turned. “How did you-”

Kahlan turned back to him, fighting the smug grin that was trying to take over her face.

“Confessors can be quite...persuasive.”

She turned again, walking away as her lips gave in to the urge to smile. Richard stared after her, and down at the pendant in his hand.

He'd never understand women.

  
_end._   


**Author's Note:**

> Followed by [Distraction](http://archiveofourown.org/works/323816).


End file.
